Acta Mathematica Sinica, New Series

1990, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 8 7 - - 96

Curve Singularities and Graphs*

Yang Jingen ( ~ E )
Department of Mathematics, Fudan University

Received November 30, 1988 Revised July 10, 1989

Abstract. To each curve singularity there associates a tree with suitably defined weights and spe-
cial paths. These combinatorial data reflect the topological properties of the singularity. It is shown
that such a curve can be specified by several axioms, so that every tree satisfying these axioms arises
from a curve singularity.

Let p be a singular point of a curve C on a smooth surface S . It is

well-known that p can be resolved by a finite sequence of blowing-ups of the sur-
face S ( see, e. g., [ BPV] p.60 ) , i. e . , there is a nonsingular surface S ' and
a birational morphism rc : S ' 4 S such that the proper transform C ' of C on S '
is nonsingular at every point in C ' N 7r-I ( p ) . This resolution rr can be assumed
to be minimal in the sense that any other resolution can be factored through it.
The curve E=Tr -1 (p), which might be reducible, together with the self-intersection
numbers of its irreducible components reflects some topological properties of the
singularity p of C. The dual graph of E is a standard notion to describe such a
curve. However, totally different curve singularities might have the same dual
graph. In this paper we associate each singularity of a curve on a surface to a
so-called S-tree, which is a sort of "structured graph", obtained directly from the
procedure of blowing-ups. Then we specify all possible S-trees and give some sim-
ple examples. Finally we describe how to derive the dual graph of E from the as-
sociated S-tree. This construction is so natural that the way of intersection of E
and C ' can be read off from the graph immediately. This is very useful when
one studies surface double points.
1. Associated S-trees of a Curve Singularity
We first introduce some notions in graph theory, for terminology see [ Berg].
An arborescence T is a tree such that each vertex is the terminal endpoint of at
most one arc. An arc is denoted by an ordered pair ( v~, v2 ) , with initial
endpoint vl and terminal endpoint v2. Every arborescence T has a unique vertex r
which is not the terminal endpoint of any a r c . This vertex is called the root of
T. A vertex is called a tip if it is not the initial endpoint of any arc. Let V ( T )
be the set of all vertices of T. There is a map p from V ( T ) - { r } to V ( T ) de-
fined by the condition that (p(v), v ) i s an arc. This is well defined because each
vertex in V ( T ) - { r } has a unique predecessor. For any v ~ V ( T ) , the set
{ u ~ V (T)" (v, u) is an arc } of all successors of v is denoted by F~. ( v ) .

* Project Supported by the Science Fund of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

 88 Yang Jingen

Obviously F ~ ( v ) = r if and only i f v i s a tip. A path in T is a chain of

arcs ( v0, v~ ), (v~, v2 ), " " , ( v,_~, v, ). The relation v<u means that there is a
path with v as its initial endpoint and u as its terminal endpoint. The crown of a
arborescence T is defined to be the set of all tips together with arcs connecting"
them. The remaining part of T is called the body of T.
Definition 1. An S-tree is defined to be a (T, S, t, f ), where
( i ) T is an arborescence ;
( i i ) S is a collection of paths in T satisfying the following two conditions:
( A ) Any two paths in S have no common arcs ;
( B ) None of the paths in S contains the root;
(iii) t is a function on the set of all tips of T assuming positive integral
values ; and
( i v ) f is a function with nonnegative values defined on the set of all those
tips v such that v is the terminal endpoint of some path in S with t ( v ) = 1.
The paths in S are called speci/al paths.
Remark. The domain of the function f might be empty.
Let B be a curve on a surface S with an isolated singularity p. An S-tree
( T , S, t, f ) can be constructed in the following way.
Assign p to be the root. Let n :S ~ S be the blowing- up of S at the point
p. Let B ' be the proper transform of B and let E be the exceptional curve. Let
v~ , -.., v, be the intersection points of B ' and E. Then put these points v l , ' " ,
v, into V ( T ) . Assign an arc directed from the root to each v,. If v~ is a simple
point of B ' then v~ is a tip of T ; otherwise, blow up S ' at vx. Let w~, "", wt
be the intersection points of the exceptional curve and the proper transform of B '.
We also put these points into V ( T ) . For each w,. assign an arc from v~ to w~.
We can apply the same process to v2 , " " , vs to add more vertices and arcs to
the tree T. We can also apply the same process to all infinitely near multiple
points of v~, ..-, vs until the proper transform B " of B is nonsingular. The tips
of T will be nonsingular points of the proper transform of B while other vertices
( including the root ) are infinitely near multiple points of p.
Let v be a tip of the tree T.. Assign t ( v ) to be the intersection number of
B" and the exceptional curve obtained from the blowing-up at the point p(v).
Let v0 be a vertex which is neither a tip nor a root. Let E0 be the excel~tional
curve of the blowing-up at the point p (v0). If the proper transform of E0 meets
the proper transform of B after the blowing-up zr0 at the point v0, then a member
of S is defined by the following procedure. The point v0 is assigned to be the ini-
tial endpoint of the path. Let v~ be the intersection point of the proper transform
E0~ of E0 and the proper transform Bi of B after the blowing-up n 0 . Note thai
the point vz is also located on the exceptional curve E1 of the blowing-up at the
point v0. If the proper transform of B is nonsingular at the point vl, i. e . , if v~
is a tip, then the path 7 is just ( v0, v~ ). Otherwise, let nt be the blowing-up at
the point v~ and let E02 be the proper transform of E0~ after the blowing-up n~. If
E02 does not meet the" proper transform of-B, then the path ~ is just ( v0, v~ ).
Otherwise, the arc (v~, v2 ) is also inch;ded in the path ~,, where vz is the intersec-
tion point of E02 and the proper transform of B. Then apply the same argument
 Curve Singularities and Graphs 89

to decide whether th procedure should be terminated. One thus obtains a path

( Vo, v~ ), (v~ , v2 , - e " , (Vq-~, Vq ) such that the proper transform of E0 passes
through Vq and either Vq is a tip or the blowing-up at the point Vq will separate
the proper transforms of E0 and B. In bther words, this is the longest path
starting from v0, every endpoint of which passes through the proper transform of
E0. Thus far we have defined the set S. Since a blowing-up always separates the
exceptional curve and the proper transform of a previous exceptional curve, any
two distinct paths in S do not have common arcs.
Let v be a tip with t (v) = 1. If v is not the terminal point of a member of S,
then assign f ( v ) = 0. If v= Vq is the terminal endpoint of a member ( v0, vt ), ( v~,
v2 ), " ' , (Vq_ l, Vq ) of S, let E0q be the proper transform of the exceptional curve
E0 of the blowing-up at p (v0) and let m be the intersection number of E0q and
the proper transform of B. Assign f ( v )= m. Thus far we have completed the con-
struction of an S-tree.
Definition 2. Let p be an isolated singular point of a curve on a smooth sur-
face. The S-tree constructed as above is called the associated S-tree of p.
Let ( T , S, t, f ) be the associated S-tree of some isolated singularity p of a
curve B on a surface. There are two integer valued functions defined on the set
V ( T ) of the vertices of T, The first one is the multiplicity function # ( v ) ,
which is the multiplicity of the point v on the proper transform of B. Note that
( v ) = 1 iff v is a tip. The other function is an extension of the function t,
which is still denoted by t. For any vertex v which is neither a tip nor a root, let
E be the exceptional curve obtained from blowing up p ( v ). Define t ( v ) to be
the intersection number of E and the proper transform of B at the point v. We
call this function t as the intersection function. For the root r, we assign t ( r ) =
/~(r ).
Lemma 1. Let ( T , S, t, f ) be the associated S-tree o f a curve singularity
and let # ( v ) and t ( v ) be the multiplicity function and intersection function defined
as above. Then the following relations hold:
(i) #(v)=l for all tips v ; (1)
( i i ) # ( v ) < t ( v )for all v in V ( T ); (2)
(iii) # ( v ) = ~ t(u)forallnon-tips v~V(T); (3)
u~rf- (v)
( i v ) For any v ~ V ( T ) with l < # ( v )< t ( v ) , there is a special path (vo , v ~ ) ,
(V l' v2 )' " ' ' , ( v q-l' Vq ) with v o = v . I f vq is not a tip or Vq is a tip with
t (Vq) > 1, then
t(Vo )=#(v0 )-{-# (V1 )"]- "'''gf-# (Vq); (4)
otherwise,
t(v 0)=#(v0)+#(v L)+'''+#(vq)+f(vq). (5)
(v) # ( r ) = t ( r ) for the root r.
Proof. The only nontrivial part is ( iv ). Assume that 1 </~ (v) < t ( v ). Then
v is neither a root nor a tip. By the construction of the associated S-tree, there is
a special path ( Vo, vl ), (v,, v2 ), " " , ( Vq_~, Vq) with v0 =v. Let E0 be the ex-
ceptional curve obtained from blowing-up at p ( v ) . Let S, be the surface on
which v; is located and let Ei be the proper transform of E0 in S~, for i= 1, 2,
 90 Yang Jingen

9.., q. Let B, be the proper transform of the curve in S~. We claim that t (v0)
=~(v0)+#(vt ) + " " +l~(v;-t ) + ( E j B j ) , j f o r j = l , 2, . . . , q. This c a n b e
p.roved by induction on j. Suppose the claim is true for j < q . Then ( E j B j ) v j =
(Ej*Bj+,)q=y(vj)+(Ej+tBj+, )vj+t ,where Ef is the total transform of Ej
+
q~F T ( vj )

in Sj+ 1 9 This proves the claim. N o w ( 4 ) and ( 5 ) follow immediately. 1-]

The following lemma shows that the functions # and t are determined by the
S-tree ( T , S, t, f ).
Lemma 2. Let (T, S, t, f ) be an S-tree (not necessarily the associated S-tree
of a curve singularity ) . Then there are unique functions y and t ' definedon v ( T )
such that t t( v ) = t ( v ) for all tips v and relations ( i ) - ( v ) hold.
Proof. For all tips, the values of/~ and t ' are uniquely determined by condi-
tion ( 1 ) and the requirement t t( v ) = t ( v ). The values of/~ and t ' for other
vertices can be decided by induction. Assume that v is a non-tip vertex such that
the values of # and t ' are determined for all vertices in F ~- ( v ). Then # ( v ) is
uniquely determined by the equation ( 3 ). If v is not the initial endpoint of a spe-
cial p a t h , then assign t '( v ) = ~ ( v ) , and this is the only possible value for
t '( v )because of the condition ( iv ). If v is the initial endpoint of a special path
then t '( v ) is uniquely determined by ( 4 ) or ( 5 ). []
Remark. In some literatures on algebraic geometry, e. g. [ S m p K ] , plane
curve singularities are studied by using proximity relations of infinitely near points.
Some classical terminologies can be interpreted in terms of arborescences as follows.
A path in the associated S-tree of an isolated singularity of a plane curve is
called a simplicial sequence; a vertex u is proximate to another vertex v if either
( v, u ) is a arc or u is a vertex in a member ( Vo, vt ), ( vt, v2 ) , ' " , ( v , - t , v,)
of S such that ( v, v0 ) is an arc. In the latter case u is remotely proximate to v.
Any vertex in a path in S is a satellite point, and all other vertices are free points.
A path consisting of free points only is called a linear simplicial sequence. Any
path can be subdivided into a succession of paths P l , P2 . . . . such that P; will
consist of free or satellite points only depending on whether i is even or odd. If
P+ consists of free points only, then Pi is called a free stretch. If P; consists of
satellite points only, then it is called a satellite cluster.
Let p be an isolated singularity of a curve B on a surface S and let C be a
smooth curve on S passing through p. A natural question is what integers can be
the possible intersection numbers of B and C at the point p. This can be an-
swered by using the associated S-tree of p.
Proposition 3. Let p be an isolated .singularity of a curve B on a surface S.
Let ( T , S, t, f ) be the associated S-tree of p. Let # be the multiplicity function
and t be the intersection function. Let Vo denote the root of T. Then the set of possi-
ble intersection numbers of a smooth curve on S and B at the point p is the union of
the following four sets"

{ n E Z " n = l ~ ( V o ) + " " + # ( v s ) f o r a p a t h ( v o, vl ) , ' ' . , (vs_t, v s ) f r o m Vo

to a non-tip vertex vs such that none o f ( v~_~ , v~ ) is an arc of a special path } ;
 Curve Singularities and Graphs 91

{ n6Z" n = l~ ( Vo ) + . . . + # (vs-I) 31- 1 for a path ( Vo, v~ ) , . . . , (vs_t, ~, ) from

vo to a tip vs with t ( v ~ ) > l such that none o f ( vs-t, v~ ) is an arc o f a special
path };
{n~Z" n > # ( v 0 ) + "" + / ~ ( v s - ~ ) f o r a p a t h (vo, vl ) , ' " , (Vs-~, v,) from vo
to a tip v s with t ( v s ) = l such that none o f ( v~_~ , v~ ) is an arc o f a special
path }.
Furthermore, if n is in one o f the last three sets for some path (Vo, V 1 ) .....
(v,_~, vs ) then there is a smooth curve C on S such that the proper transforms o f
C pass through v I , . . . , vs.
Proof. Let C be a smooth curve on S passing through the point p. Denote
the intersection number of C and B a t p by ( C , B ) p . Let re" S ~ S b e the
blowing-up of S at the point p. Let B ' and C ' be the proper transforms of B
and C respectively. Let E be the exceptional curve rc-~( p ). If C ' does not pass
through any point in E ~ B ', then ( C, B )p is equal to the multiplicity of p,
which is equal to /~ (v0).
Assume that C ' passes through a point q e B ' ~ E . Then
( C , B)p = ~ ( p ) + (C ', B ' ) q . (6)
If B ' is smooth at q, then q is a tip. If (E, B ')q = 1 then q is a tip with t(q )
=1 , and ( 6 ) implies that ( C , B)p > # ( v o). I f ( E , B ' ) > 1 , then q is a tip
with t ( q ) > l . Since C ' meets B ' at q transversally, ( C , B ) p = # ( v 0 ) + l by
(6).
If B ' is singular at q, then q is not a tip. Let ~ ': S "~" S ' be the
blowing-up of S ' at the point q. Let B " and C " be the proper transforms of
B ' and C ' respectively. Let E ' be the exceptional curve n , - t ( q ). If ( C ',
B')q=~(q) then ( C , B ) p - - # ( p ) + # ( q ), which is in the set specified in
the proposition. Otherwise, the curves B", C " and E ' have a common point t
and ( C ', B ') q =/~ ( q ) + ( C ", B " ) , . Since C " does not intersect the proper
transform of E , the arc ( q, t ) can not be an arc of a special path. If t is a tip
or if ( C ", B "), -- # ( t ) then ( C, B ) p is in the set of integers specified in the
proposition. If t is not a tip then the same argument applies to the blowing-up
at the point t. Hence the proposition is true.
Conversely, let n be an integer in the set. Then there are the following cases
i ) n = ~ (v0).
Take a generic smooth curve C on S passing through p. Then ( C, B ) =
~(v0).
ii) n = # ( v 0 ) + . - - + # ( v , ) for a path (v0, v ~ ) , ' " , (v,_~, v, ) from v0 to a
non-tip vertex vs.
Let Ss be the surface on which vs is located and let Es be the exceptional
curve obtained from the blowing-up of Ss-t at v,_~. Let C, be a generic smooth
curve on Ss passing through vs such that C, Es = 1 . Let rcs 9 Ss ~ S be the com-
positions of blowing-ups. Let C be the image of Cs under re. Since none of
(v~_~ , v~ ) is an arc of a special p a t h , the curve C i's smooth. Obviously
(C, B )v 0 = n .
The arguments for the remaining cases are similar and thus o m i t t e d . I7
Theorem 4. Any S-tree is an associated tree o f some isolated singularity o f a
 92 Yang Jingen

curve on a surface.
Proof. Let ( T , S, t, f ) be an S-tree with N vertices. We apply the induction
on N.
If N = 1, then T is the associated S-tree of a smooth point of a curve. Hence-
forth assume that N > 1.
Let r be the root of T.
Case 1. F~ ( r ) consists of a single vertex r '
Let n = t ( r ' ) . Let T ' be the tree o b t a i n e d by deleting the root r and the
arc ( r , r '). If r ' is the initial endpoint o f a special path 7 in S , then let S '
= S- { 7 }; otherwise, let S '= S. Then ( T ', S ', t, f ) is an S- tree whose struc-
ture is 9 inherited from that of T. By the induction hypothesis, T : i s the associ-
ated tree of a curve singularity p ' of a curve B ' on a surface S ' .
Ifn>#(r : ) , then there is a special path (v0, v~) , ' " , (vs_~ , vs) in T
with v0 = r '. Note that (vi-~, vi ), l < i < s is not an arc in a special path of
the S - t r e e ( T ' , S', t,f). By ( 4 ) and ( 5 ) the number n satisfies the condi-
tions in Proposition 3 for the singularity p '. Hence there is a smooth curve C '
on S ' such that n = ( C ', B ' ) p , and the proper transforms of C ' pass
through v l , - . . , vs.
If n = ~ ( r ' ) , then take C ' to be a generic curve on B / passing through r '.
By proper choice of local coordinates x ' , y ' in a neighborhood o f r ', we
m a y assume that the local equation for C ' is x ' = 0 . Let f ( x ', y ' ) 0 be the
local equation for the curve B '. By the Weierstrass Preparation T h e o r e m ,
f(x', y')=u(x', y') g ( x ', y ' ) ,
where
g ( x ', y / ) = y ' " + a l ( x ' ) y :,-i + . . . + a , ( x ')
is a Weierstrass polynomial, with ord(a~(x ' ) ) > i, which is possible after a suita-
ble change of coordinates. Then F (x, y ) = x " g (x, -y- ) is a polynomial in x,
x
y. Let p = ( 0, 0 ) be the plane curve singularity given by the 9 F (x, y )
= 0. It is easy to see that the associated S-tree of this singularity is isomorphic to
T.
Case 2. F §T 1 s
} withs>l.
/ r
Let T~ , ..- , Ts be the connected components of the graph obtained by
deleting the root r and the arcs (r, h ) . . . . (r, v, ). F o r each i , let / T,. be the
arborescence obtained by adding a root re and an arc ( r ; , vg ) to Te 9 Let Se
be the collection of special paths in S supported on T / . Let I i and f ; be the restric-
t ions o f t a n d f o n the tips o f T : . Then each ( T e , Se , t e , f e 9 is an S-tree.
By the result we obtained in Case 1, there is a plane curve singularity Pe with
equation F; ( x , y ) = 0 for each i. Let P ; ( x, y ) be the degree /~ ( re ) part of
F;( x y ) "
Since F T+i ( r e ) consists of one point Pe (x, y ) is a power of some
linear polynomial L e ( x , y ) W i t h o u t loss of generality we m a y assume that the
lines L ~( x , y ) = 0 . . . . . Ls ( x , y ) = 0 are distinct. Let p be a plane curve singu-
larity given by the equation F~ ( x , y ) . . . F, ( x , y )=0 Then the associated
S-tree of p is isomorphic to T.
 Curve Singularities and Graphs 93

2. Examples
To illustrate what we have done, we list all possible associated S-trees for
plane curve singularities of multiplicities less than or equal to 4. According to The-
orem 4 these associated S-trees are S-trees with # ( r ) < 4 , where r is the root of
the S-tree. To simplify the illustration, a wildcard symbol *n is used to denote
an arbitrary S-tree with/~ ( r ) = n. For example, the following three S-trees
(I.I) (I,i) (2,2)

(12) (i i) 7 (I i)

~( 3,3) 0
(1,1)
~ (3,3)
~ t~
6 (3,3) 0 (3,3) (3,3)
r r r
Figure I
can be represented by the tree
(i,1) 2

In the diagram, the pair of integers beside a vertex denotes the values of # and t
of that vertex. The root is always denoted by r.
(A) /~(r)=2.
In this case there are only two types of S-tree structures a s shown in
Figure 2 .

(1,1)
y (1.1)
2.2)
I (1,2)
(2,2)

i
(2,2) (2,2)

I9 (2,2) (2.2)
r r
Ca) (b)

Figure 2
There are no special paths.
(B) #(r)=3.

(1,1) (1,1) (1,1) 2 (1,1) (1,2)

3) ,3) ~(3,3)
: 9
~(3,3) ~(3,3) (~ (3,3)
r r r
(a) (-b) (c)
 %O

',...~ ~ ~ 0-...- 9 9 9 v
~ ~ eee

~ o~...
X ~ X

j_. ~ 0--- 9 9 9

x k ~ ~
 Curve Singularities and Graphs 95

~2 (i,i) (i,i) (i,i)

Itj (2'4)
(4,4) ~ 3,4)
(4', 4 )

(~(4,4)
r i(4,4)
(m)
(n)
(i ,i) (I ,2)
(i ,i) (i,2)
~
r~
/ /;
~(3,4) 3,4)
3,4)
?(4,4) 4,4) ? (4,4)

i
I (4,4) ~ (4,4)
r (4,4) r
r
(o) (q)
(p)
Figure 4
Note the difference between ( p ) and ( q ) .
3. Exceptional Divisors of a Singularity of a Curve on a Surface
Let B be a curve on a smooth surface S. Assume that B has exactly one sin-
gularity p . Then the singularity p can be resolved by a sequence of blowing-ups.
Definition 3. A surjective morphism n : $ / - ~ S is called a good resolution of
a singularity p of a curve B on the surface S if n is the composition of a sequence
of blowing-ups, i. e., n=nm~ . . . . n,, such that
i ) The proper transform B ' is smooth at every point of B ' N n - ' (p) ;
ii ) The center of each blowing-up n i is a singular point of the curve
(hi_ ~ , ... ~ n, ) * B ( t h e total transform of B ) .
The minimal resolution of p is a good resolution, since the center of each
blowing-up is chosen to be an infinitely near multiple point of B over p.
Let n : S ~-~ S be a good resolution. The inverse image n -~ ( p ) o f p is a
connected curve, of which each component is a rational curve with negative
self-intersection. Actually all these components are exceptional d[visors ( or their
proper transforms ) of the blowing-ups. L e t ~ ( n ) be the dual graph of n -~ ( p ) :
The vertices o f ~ ( n ) a r e the components of n -~ ( p ) and two vertices are con-
nected by an edge if and only if the corresponding components intersect. It is obvi-
ous that ~ ( n ) is a tree. Furthermore, ~ ( n ) becomes a weighted tree if the self-
tersection number of a component is assigned to be the weight to the corresponding
vertex. The proper transform of the exceptional curve of the first blowing-up n,
is assigned to be the root of this tree. Then ~ ( n ) becomes an arborescence.
The dual graph ~ ( n ) describes the topology of the set n -~ ( p ) . But it does
not give the information about the way of intersection of n-' ( p ) with the proper
transform B ' of the curve B.
Definition 4. Let ~ ( n ) be the dual graph of a good resolution n : S <-" S
 96 Yang Jingen

of a singularity p of a curve B on a smooth surface S. The augmented dual graph

of n is a weighted graph .~ '(n ) such that
i ) The set of vertices V(~Y:'(n)) is the union of the set of vertices V ( ~ ( n ) )
and the set B-(-] n-l ( p ), where B - is the proper transform of B in S ';
ii) The set of arcs of ~ ' ( n ) i s the union of the set of arcs o f , ~ / n ) and the
set of the following new arcs"
For every u ~ B - ( ~ n -~ ( p ) and every v~.~( n ), if the curve corresponding to
v passes through u then there are N arcs between u and v , where N is the con-
tact number of v and B - at the point u.
The weight function of .~ '(n ) is inherited from that of ~ ( n ), with the ex-
ception that all vertices from B - ( ~ n-~ ( p ) have no weights.
The augmented dual graph .~ '( n ) can be obtained from the associated
S-tree ( T , S, t, f ) o f p in the following way. If T has no special p a t h , then
~ t n ) is simply T. If T has special paths, for each special path (v o , v~ ), ( v~, vz )
, ' " , (Vq_~, vq ) delete the arc ( p ( v o ), v0)and add an arc from p ( v o ) to v~where
j = q if Vq is not a tip and j = q - 1 if Vq is a tip. ( Recall that p (v0) is the vertex
in V ( T ) such that ( p (v o ),Vo ) is a path of T. ) Then reverse the direction of
the arcs (v~, v,+j) f o r 0 N i < j - 1 . For every tip vwith t ( v ) > l add t ( v ) - I
arcs from p ( v ) to v ( without deleting the original arc ( p ( v ), v ) ). For every
tip Vq which belongs to a special path (Vo, v~ ) , ( v~ , v2 ) , ' " , ( Vq_t , Vq ), add
N a r c s f r o m p (v0) to Vq, w h e r e N = l i f t ( v q ) > l and N = f ( V q ) i f t ( V q ) = l .
Then the resulting graph is ~ ' ( n ).
Since every vertex o f . ~ ' ( n ) comes from a vertex of ( T , S, t, f ) we will
not distinguish them if no confusion will be caused. The following proposition is
obvious. When we mention a vertex in .~ ( n ) it also means a vertex in
).
Proposition 5. Let n ".S ' - " S be a good resolution o f an bolated singularity p
o f a curve B on a surface S. Let vo be a vertex o f ~ ' ( n ). Let n o be the number o f
elements in the set
{ v~ F ~- ( v o ) " v is not a t i p } .
I f t (vo ) = ~ (v0) , then the self-intersection number o f Vo is equal to-(no + 1 ). I f
t(Vo )>#(v0 ) , let (Vo, v~ ), ( v~ , v2 ) , " ' , ( vq-l , Vq ) be the special path starting
f r o m vo . Then the self-intersection number o f vo is equal t o - ( n o + q+ 1 ) i f Vq is
not a tip, a n d - ( no + q ) i f vo is a tip.
Let B ' be the proper transform o f B in S '. Let rno be the number o f elements
in the set
{vEF~.(Vo)" v i s a t i p } .
I f t ( Vo ) = # ( Vo ), then the intersection number o f Vo and B ' is equal to m o . I f
t ( v o )>,u(v o ), let (Vo, vl ) , ( vl , v2 ) , " ' , ( Vq_~, vq) be the special path starting
f r o m vo . Then the intersection number o f vo and B ' is equal to mo + t(Vo ) - # ( V o )
- # (v,) . . . . . ).

Acknowledgement. Part of this paper was written while the author was vis-
iting the Institute of Mathematics of Academia Siniea, whose hospitality is greatly
appreciated.